


Live To See The Sunrise

by boochie



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Powers, Angst with a Happy Ending, Dead By Daylight Universe, F/F, Hurt/Comfort, Inspired by Dead by Daylight (Video Game), Minor Violence, Not Canon Compliant
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-05
Updated: 2020-03-30
Packaged: 2020-07-31 18:47:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 6,914
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20119912
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/boochie/pseuds/boochie
Summary: The Entity is an all-powerful and malicious energy that lives off fear and despair. It creates a trial in which 4 survivors must evade a killer and escape the arena.Lena Luthor is a new survivor chosen to participate in the Entity’s trial. Kara Danvers has been in the game a while and knows all too well what happens to newbies like Lena, but she’s determined to help her out. Can Lena be the one to survive and break the endless cycle of death?(no knowledge of the video game required. everything relevant will be explained)





	1. Time Warp

**Author's Note:**

> nobody wants this except me. dead by daylight x supergirl crossover. this happened because i play too many video games and jane romero reminds me of lena.
> 
> also i haven’t posted in a year or two. hi everyone :D
> 
> (ps: characters and concept are NOT original. all rights go to respective owners, i claim nothing)

The first thing she noticed in her conscious thoughts was the cold. It was sharp, stinging the ends of her fingers. Her chest felt heavy as if something was wrapped around her torso, refusing to let go. She feared to look at whatever monstrous creature had a hold on her. When she opened her eyes, it was an illusion. Nothing was there.

It was all in her mind, Lena told herself—but then again, maybe it wasn’t. It was hard to tell what part of her current reality was actually real and what was just a projection.

Most of her memories evaded her. There was something clouding the past in her mind. All she could remember was the work she had been doing last night (if time hadn’t accelerated or slowed). Her last moments were in the office, far past normal hours. She was skimming documents, planning for upcoming meetings and business deals, all normal things. 

Lena felt like she blinked, just once, without thought. And now she was here. She had no past or future. She had what was in front of her.

There was a campfire that flickered. It shone dimly through the darkness, barely enough to illuminate her surroundings. Smoke billowed from the tiny flames but lacked a smell. It didn’t seem in the slightest bit warm but she felt the urge to reach out her hands and capture whatever heat it offered. However, she was stopped by an inexplicable force that held her in place. She looked around, searching for anything that would help make sense of the situation.

All Lena could hear was breathing, ragged and quick. There were three distinct patterns of breath she picked up on. The first was a deep heave, rumbling and sputtering like an exhaust pipe. The next was quivering, short huffs that seemed to tire the person breathing them. The final breath was light, high and full of air, settling right next to her. It sounded like a woman’s, though Lena wasn’t inclined to judge. The person seemed to be fit, their exhales controlled and steady. They sounded prepared, ready. Lena was struck with an overwhelming feeling of courage as she honed in on the peculiar sound. Whatever may come their way, she felt the woman beside her would be a worthy companion.

A noise broke Lena out of her focus. It echoed into the space behind her, which was covered in thick brush and towering trees. A foreboding feeling crept under her skin, the hairs standing on the back of her neck. Someone was watching her.

One blink, four breaths, and the world went dark again.


	2. Hurt Locker

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> a little bit of violence and “woundage” but not in graphic detail! if you’re reading this........thank you :3

When Lena regained consciousness, she was standing in the middle of a corn field as if nothing had happened. It was a complete time jump. The moment she had been staring into the campfire was just as real as the stalks blowing in the bone-chilling breeze beside her.

Lena whipped her head left and right, trying to gather as much visual information as possible. The spaces in between the rows of plants were wide enough for a person to walk through. Panic began to rise in her. She may be safe while blending in with her surroundings, but it won’t last forever. Even while hidden, she felt exposed. She couldn’t hide from that foreboding presence she felt earlier. Yet, there was a feeling inside her that was growing stronger-- an urge to survive, a will to live. She grappled with her emotions, swirling inside of her like a hurricane and breathed into the thick air.

“Okay, Lena. Get it together,” she whispered.

After a moment of hesitation, she ducked down and began to weave through the field. She made sure to avoid the empty spaces as she considered them to be far too vulnerable and unsafe. The gravel crunched beneath her feet with each step and it made her cringe; she wasn’t being very good at the whole “stealth” concept. Still, she persisted, making her way to the other side of the field. As she broke through the last row, she was face to face with the edge of the property. It seemed that they were all fenced into a piece of land akin to the size of the entire office floor she worked on at L-Corp. There was a concrete wall that stretched as far as she could look either way. She took off into a sprint approaching it. She jumped high, reaching her arms for the top of the wall. It was too high to scale. She ran her hands along the pale grey slabs, feeling their texture; it was completely smooth, devoid of any cracks or bumps she could use for leverage when climbing-- so that wasn’t an option.

She decided to follow the wall, crouching behind the landmarks that seemed to appear out of thin air. Rocks, fake wooden walls, a small shack with a contraption in the middle. She stopped when she came across a large, brown rock wide enough to cover the entire body. A pair of crows landed right in front of her. Their piercing eyes stared into hers, watching her every move with the pretense of a conscious being; they were watching her with intent.

She stood up to get a better view but they scattered, flying away with a few loud caws. Lena ducked back down, cursing herself for being so reckless. Surely, that was enough to alert anyone within a mile radius that she was here.

In that moment, she heard a melody fading in and out. It was a beautiful song she didn’t know the name of, sweet and bright. Someone was humming. She hoped it was another person, another one of the survivors. Lena couldn’t stop the desperation that was filling her thoughts. She needed someone to explain what the hell was going on. Maybe they could help her wake up from this nightmare.

“Hello?” Lena shouted into the silence, the nothingness echoing words back at her.

A figure in the distance turned toward her. Someone broad and thick. Wearing a bunny mask that didn’t look quite right. Carrying an… axe? Lena squinted harder through the mist. It was definitely an axe. And the figure was coming at her.

Lena tried to muffle her scream of terror, but it didn’t matter in the moment. She was fucked.

The creature lifted it’s arm, axe in hand, and swung. The weapon shot past Lena’s shoulder as she took off to the right. The melody of humming clashed with the thumping of a heart beat in her ears. She wasn’t sure if it was hers or the creature’s loud warning.

The creature was gaining on her and it seemed to have multiple axes of the same size. Lena grit her teeth, pushing her muscles to the limit as she ran for her life. The creature pulled it arm back again, the axe shining in the light of a sputtering generator nearby. It was too late. Lena didn’t have the energy in her to dodge another hit. The axe collided with the back of her calf, slicing into skin. The pain was sharp, but the adrenaline coursed through her veins. She wasn’t going down without a fight.

In their chase, Lena had circled around to the field of corn again. She entered, weaving in between the stalks with more haste than she had not minutes ago. She made sure to turn erratically at random in an attempt to throw the killer off her path.

Eventually, the heartbeat faded from her ears and the humming quieted. Lena breathed a huge sigh of relief. She had managed to escape the insane killer that had been at her heels. She couldn’t help the cry that escaped her lips. It was one of victory and of pain. She looked down at her leg, expecting to see the gash left by the axe but there was nothing out of the ordinary, despite the pain she felt. There was no mess, no wound, just a small bit of blood on her slacks. She felt grateful that there wasn’t a wound she needed to patch up immediately.

In the distance, Lena saw a red storage container. It was long and tall, shaped similarly to a high school locker. It was the perfect place to hide! Hobbling over, she managed to get inside without alerting that thing, The door closed behind her and she let out another sob.

“No,” Lena reprimanded herself. “You’ve been through worse than this; betrayal, conspiracy, death, murderous brothers. You’re fine.”

She couldn’t tell if the water running down her face was sweat or tears. She allowed herself to catch her breath, her heaving gasps slowing down to sharp inhales and exhales. Normally, she would be uncomfortable at the thought of confined spaces, but she wasn’t complaining. She could pretend for a moment that everything wasn’t totally and insanely crazy out there. She closed her eyes, imagining the safety of her office, the warmth of her bed at home, the embrace of a random, faceless woman she would love one day.

She was consumed by her thoughts, daydreaming of life in the real world. She didn’t hear the steps creeping toward her locker. 

The red double doors of the locker flew open with a precarious creak.

Lena let out another scream.


	3. Running (and running and running)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> as usual, a bit of violence in this chapter. that's going to be present throughout the whole story. but i will do my best to include content warnings when appropriate! :)

It took Lena a few seconds to register what was happening. The previous chase had sent her down a rabbit hole of nervous energy and adrenaline sweats. It was impossible to let her guard down when any moment was life or death. But when she finally saw what was in front of her, her breath hitched.

Instead of the mangled, off-white rabbit mask she associated with the killer, there was a soft face. Despite the speckles of blood and a notable scar across the space between her eyebrows, her skin was smooth. Instead of dark locks, there were blonde waves cascading over slim shoulders. Black, soulless eyes had been replaced by icy blue irises. This was no murderer; it was a woman. A woman with a kind, strong energy. Her face was schooled into a look of concern for Lena. Now, her heart skipped for an entirely different reason.

“It’s okay, you’re okay.” The woman spoke quietly, her voice barely projecting between them.

“Please help me,” Lena begged. The woman nodded.

“You have to remain calm.”

Lena nodded back, her head bobbing up and down rapidly. She felt her heartbeat increase.

“Your leg,” she said, pointing to her bloodstained pants. “Come out and I’ll patch you up.”

Lena was frantic. She was terrified at the intrusion, terrified her life was just about to end. The locker was the safest place to be. She couldn’t leave.

“I can’t,” Lena said through clenched teeth.

“You can.” She sounded so sure of Lena, as if she believed in her ability to survive this ordeal. Lena didn’t share the same feeling of confidence in herself.

“You can trust me,” she said, almost sensing Lena’s doubt. She gazed at Lena. It was an inviting stare, open and honest. She searched the woman’s eyes for deception or malintent but couldn’t find any. All Lena saw was genuine care. So she took the plunge, slowing removing her good leg out into the open. She carefully forced herself to limp to avoid hurting her bad leg further.

The woman crouched down in front of her.

“May I?” she asked, gesturing to her seemingly invisible wound.

“Yes,” Lena said, her voice shaking.

The woman reached into her back pocket and pulled out a roll of gauze. As she unraveled the cloth, Lena’s curious nature bubbled through.

“I don’t see a wound.”

“Yeah, they don’t show here,” the woman replied, wrapping the gauze around her calf. Her touch was warm, comforting. Lena tried not to swoon, focusing on the question that had been burning her up inside.

“Where is here?”

“It’s a projection of the Entity’s desire.” 

Lena didn’t understand. A projection of what? Who or what was the Entity? There was no time for questions, though. The humming was back.

“Um…” Lena trailed off, words dying in her throat.

“I know,” the woman said. “Let me finish.”

The killer was getting closer.

“Please hurry!”

That made the woman’s meticulous bandaging falter. A sharp pain stung Lena’s skin, eliciting a yelp.

“Sorry.” Lena frowned.

“Don’t worry about it. We can’t control our reactions under the influence of such an evil presence.”

Again, the woman was saying things that didn’t make sense. Lena would give anything to have a normal conversation right now. Instead, she simply nodded and kept quiet.

Just as she finished wrapping Lena’s leg, a noise sounded about 50 feet away. A grunt.

“Run,” the woman commanded, taking off in a sprint. Lena didn’t need to be told twice.

Lena ran in the same direction as the woman. She seemed considerably faster than Lena. She wasn’t in the worst shape of her life, but this realm was weighing on her. It was almost impossible to do the simplest of tasks at normal efficiency. Something was slowing them all down, but not the blonde, who was leading them to a cluster of wooden walls.

She vaulted herself through its window easily.

“Jump!” she yelled over her shoulder and Lena obeyed, thrusting her body over the waist-high window sill. She just barely made it through, a chuckle escaping her lips as she rushed to catch up with speed demon ahead of her. The entire time, those icy blues eyes had been watching. Before the woman turned to face forward, Lena thought she saw the ghost of a smile pointed her way.

Regardless of her ability to vault a window, the heartbeat and incessant humming were still echoing loudly. Each time the killer threw an ax, she heard the grunt of frustration when it missed.

The pair turned a corner, looping around one of the fake wooden walls. Lena looked back and saw a red stain painting the space directly behind her. The killer was closing the distance, throwing her arm back for what seemed like the thousandth time. Lena was exhausted by this cat and mouse type game they were being forced to play.

In an instant, the woman in front of her slowed down to make Lena paced.

“What are you doing?” Lena eyed her curiously.

“Don’t worry about it,” the woman winked at her. She slowed even further until she was just on Lena’s heels and she knew exactly what was about to happen. She was taking a hit for Lena.

The ax collided with the exposed part of her back, where her shirt had risen up and didn’t quite meet the top of her pants. She fumbled, same as Lena when being struck with one of the killer’s axes, but caught herself. She sped up next to Lena.

“How dare you!” Lena gasped. “You can’t just take an ax to the back for me!”

“It what I do,” she shrugged, a pained smile spreading across her face. Lena thought she was adorable.

“Do you see that pallet over there?” She was pointing to a red, yellow, and blue pallet in the shape of a square. It was leaning up against one of the wooden walls of an obstacle course not far from where they were currently running circles. The pallet was wedged in between two position walls. It looked like a setup but Lena nodded, picking up on the queue to head in that direction.

“When I say the word, throw it down.”

Lena processed the plan as much as she could. Before she could ask any more questions, the woman was leading the killer in another direction, looping her around the wooden walls again. It was genius. Lena would be impressed if it weren’t for the pure skill and knowledge the woman had already demonstrated.

Lena ran through the space between the pallet and stopped on the opposite side. She watched wavy blonde hair spun around, giving the killer a 360-degree fake-out. Lena couldn’t take her eyes of the movement. She was heading for the passage Lena went through. She wasn’t sure what to do after throwing the pallet down, but she remained ready to run at the word her new friend would give her.

Speaking of, the woman ran right past Lena and shouted “NOW!”

And Lena threw the pallet down as hard as she could.

The pallet slammed down in front of the killer, stunning her.

Lena’s mouth hung open as she got a brief look at who had been chasing them. She was a large, burly woman, reminding Lena of a lesbian lumberjack. She carried a medium size ax in her hand and a few small ones on her belt. Her hair was dark and stringy, hanging limply on her back. Her most prominent feature was the rabbit mask. It was white and only covered the top half of her face. The rest had been ripped off, blood staining the crease. Lena had every right to be scared out of her mind.

The woman grabbed her wrist, tugging Lena along. She immediately transitioned back into flight mode, keeping pace with her partner.

This whole time, Lena felt like a fish out of water, floundering for air. In the company of this stranger (a beautiful stranger, she might add. Very beautiful), she felt like she could breathe, like she could think clearly without the clouded of despair. They couldn’t run forever. They needed a new plan.

They were coming up to a set of trees in the middle of the arena. Lena steeled herself and grabbed the woman’s hand, interlocking their fingers. Her eyes shot right to Lena’s tentative gaze.

“You don’t have to trust me,” Lena muttered under her heaving breath.

“I do.”

That was the confirmation Lena needed. Together, they dashed madly for the trees, making a left once they were hidden. They crouched behind a huge trunk as the killer walked past them, searching to find where she had lost their trajectory.

However, the moment the killer was out of earshot, the women sprinted back in the other direction, effectively distancing themselves from danger. No red stain on the ground, humming, or heartbeats. They were safe for now, resting behind a randomly placed wooden wall. How convenient. They were practically everywhere.

Lena’s first priority was to heal her friend. And the second, to know her name.

Lena pulled a roll of gauze out of her coat pocket. She didn’t realize one was in her possession.

“Self care,” the woman said. Lena tilted her head in question.

“By watching me heal your wound, you were able to learn a perk,” she said, matter of factly.

“A perk… I see,” Lena replied, inconspicuously. She unraveled the gauze and got to work on wrapping it around the woman’s waist, trying not to blush.

“I know you’re intelligent,” she said. “It’s okay to feel dumb here. We all did at one point.”

Lena nodded.

“The Entity doesn’t play fair, but it wants entertainment. We are granted abilities to help us fight back against the killer.”

“Why?” Lena sighed. The woman frowned.

“We don’t know why yet. I’m working on it.”

Lena finished up the last of the wound healing, tucking the loose end of gauze into itself. She straightened herself up and dusted the dirt from her pants. She wasn’t too concerned about the damage done to her clothes, she had plenty at home, in the real world.

“I’m Lena,” she said, reaching out her hand for a shake. It was covered in the woman’s blood, but she didn’t even flinch when she noticed.

“Lena, what?”

Lena paused for a moment. Could she know who the Luthors were? Their reputation and what they had been through, what they had done? No matter how much she wanted to, she could lie to the kind stranger who saved her life.

“Lena Luthor,” she sighed.

The woman took her hand, giving it a quick shake.

“Kara Danvers, up and coming journalism,” the woman, Kara, beamed. She hadn’t let go of Lena’s hand yet. Lena’s heart fluttered.

“It’s nice to meet you, Kara Danvers,” Lena replied. She was grateful that if Kara knew who she was, she didn’t say anything. She supposed it didn’t matter in their situation. They were both going to die, so no one must’ve cared about who was who in the real world.

“The pleasure is all mine,” Kara said. She bowed in a courteous parody of royal subjects, giggling a little. Lena’s smile grew a bit wider.

“Hardly,” Lena joked. “Nothing could be pleasurable in here.”

“It’s not that bad once you get used to it,” Kara said. “Hopefully, you won’t have to.” She nudged Lena’s shoulder gently. Lena’s eyes lit up at the prospect of being able to get out of this hell hole.

“There’s a way out?” Lena said, excitement and relief coating her words.

Kara turned around and pointed to a gate on the outermost concrete wall.

“It’s quite simple, in theory,” she said with a flourish of her hands. “We power five generators, avoid the killer’s deathly grasp, open the gate, and get the hell out of here.”

Lena tried to calm the feelings inside her. There was hope. She could go back home where everything would be… well, not normal, but safer than here. She wouldn’t have to run for her life and fear death constantly.

Kara was frowning, more deeply this time, the grooves in her forehead showing.

“I’ve never been able to get out,” she said. Lena felt sorrow radiating off Kara for the first time since they had met. She had been strong for Lena in her most vulnerable moments. Lena wanted to give her the same kindness, even if she felt the same sorrow and fear and hopelessness. She needed to be strong for Kara.

“Well of course not! ‘Cause I wasn’t here to help you.” Lena puffed out her chest, exaggerating her confidence. It seemed to lighten the mood, eliciting a small chuckle from Kara.

“Smart and cocky,” Kara whistled, a joking lilt in her voice. “That’s a great combination for a game like this.”

“I have my humble moments, too,” Lena winked.

“So…” Lena continued, trailing off. “What should we do now?”

“The generators.”

“Ah!” Lena exclaimed. “Show me the way.”


	4. Promises

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> usually content warnings. violence, wounds, disturbing imagery.
> 
> :D

While locating another generator to fix, Kara gave Lena more information about the machines and how they worked.

“It’ll feel natural to you,” Kara explained. “We’re not meant to be completely helpless.”

“Good to know,” Lena grimaced. She quickly realized the Entity was someone (or something) she hated. 

Lena wasn’t unfamiliar with different types of evil incarnations. Her mother was the self-preserving malevolence, doing anything for personal gain and saving her reputation, no matter how much she damaged it in the process. Her brother had a lot of demons that made a home in his brain, convincing him to do terrible things. It wasn’t his fault. There was also the plain old nefarious villains out for pure destruction of society and the universe. 

But it appeared to Lena that each of those examples could be justified by a quantifiable reason. People were messed up for one reason or another, and that reason was usually easy to figure out. The Entity, however, escaped Lena’s rational problem-solving. It was an otherworldly being, fueled by sadistic behavior. 

Beyond that, Lena didn’t understand why. Why was she here? Why was Kara, someone so sweet and caring, thrust into such a horrible world with no escape? Lena would be damned if she didn’t find out the answers. If not for herself, for Kara.

“I’m sure someone of your experience will have no problem figuring out this sort of thing,” Kara said. Lena squinted her eyes.

“How do you know what experience I have?”

“Oh please! You picked up self care like it was a picture book… I know you’ve got this.”

Kara was a bit distracted as they spoke to one another, which Lena was thankful for. It meant that she cared for both of their safety. And it meant that Lena could let her stare linger more than she felt brave enough with Kara’s eyes looking back at her. The intensity of Kara’s stare made Lena’s insides flip flop.

“There,” Kara pointed her finger to a landmark above the horizon. It was a pole with flickering lights attached at the top. The light it projected was barely noticeable with the busy surroundings. “Those signify a generator. When it’s up and running again, the lights will turn on. Fully.”

They continued to creep toward the generator, staying low to avoid the killer spotting them.

The generator itself was a dull red color. Upon closer inspection, the pistons that signified power was running through the machine, were stationary. Lena assumed they would start up again when everything was said and done. Lena didn’t think this would be any harder than some of the technical projects she worked on in the past.

“Okay,” Lena sighed, getting to work. She settled up beside the generator, letting her fingers rest on the framework. She started pressing a few buttons here and there, as well as connecting wires when needed.

The two women worked in silence, Kara on the opposite side of the generator. Lena couldn’t see her but there was enough noise to let her know Kara was working just as diligently as she was.

“Geez, you’re good at this!” Kara exclaimed. “Are you hiding s toolbox over there or something?”

Lena chuckled.

“Just these bad girls.” Lena paused from her work and raised her hands above the top of the generator. She wiggled her fingers wildly and Kara’s eyes widened. She looked like a deer caught in a pair of headlights.

“What?” Lena laughed. She knew they weren’t in any danger, but if they were, Kara would protect her. She felt safe enough to let her guard down.

“Nothing.” Kara coughed and ducked back down to focus on her side of things.

Soon enough, the generator was completed. The bulbs at the top of the pole flickered to life, bathing them in shining, white light.

“We gotta go,” Kara said, throwing a thumb over her shoulder. “The killer can hear when a generator’s complete.”

“Oh,” Lena said, standing straight up. “I don’t want to linger. Lead the way!”

“You could lead too, you know.”

“I’d rather not.”

“Come on, Lena! You’re just as capable as me,” Kara said, a hint of playful frustration in her tone. Lena scrunched up her face.

“Fair enough, but you have the advantage!”

“How long have you been here, anyway?” Lena asked gently, to avoid making Kara feel bad.

Kara exhaled deeply, brushing the hair away from falling into her line of vision.

“A long time.”

Lena hoped that wasn’t the case, but deep down, she knew. No one would know what Kara knew without the experience to prove it. There was no teacher, no guidebook or lesson that taught you how to play the Entity’s game. Kara learned through trial and error.

Lena couldn’t stop the words that came next.

“I promise you’ll get out. I’ll make sure of it.”

Lena was just as surprised as Kara seemed. She wasn’t one to make promises she couldn’t keep. And though she meant it with her whole heart, it wasn’t something they could control. Everything was stacked against them.

“Don’t…” Kara replied. “You can’t promise that.”

“Maybe not, but I can promise to try.”

“Lena.” 

Her name on Kara’s lips gave her goosebumps.

“Kara.” Lena crossed her arms, giving Kara the stern eyebrow raise that all Luthor’s were famous for.

Kara sighed and it sounded resigned. Before she could respond to Lena, however, a scream echoed across the map.

Lena flinched. Kara’s eyes went straight to the direction it came from.

“What’s happening?” Lena chewed on a nail. She didn’t want to look.

“Someone’s getting chased, I have to—“

Another scream, louder this time.

Somehow, Lena could see the person’s outline as they lay on the ground, bleeding.

“We have x-ray vision,” Lena said. “Of course we do.”

“Sorta. More like a connection between us all.”

Both of them watched in horror as the survivor was picked up and thrown over the killer’s shoulder. The person wiggled in their grasp, fighting to get out. It was no use. Lena didn’t know what was going to happen next. She felt the urge to vomit as the outline was thrown onto a hook, suspended in the air. It was savage. 

When the screaming stopped, Kara looked over at Lena with that same expression from before. The one that was sad and remorseful, all wrapped into the downward curl of her mouth.

“I have to help.”

“Kara, please don’t leave,” Lena begged. Her voice felt rough in her throat. It was her desperation returning.

Kara was conflicted. Her eyes moved from the survivor’s outline to Lena’s frightened face.

“I have to,” Kara said. 

Her words struck Lena right in the chest. She grabbed Kara’s hand, holding it firmly.

“Please! I can’t do this without you.” Lena wasn’t being herself. She was never this insecure, never this scared to lose someone she cared about. It didn’t make sense, just like everything else that had to do with the stupid Entity.

“It’s my duty.” Kara was being firm with Lena, and that’s when she knew the discussion was over. She had lost. The price was Kara.

“If you die—,” Lena started.

“I won’t.” 

Kara squeezed her hand. Lena could only nod.

She watched Kara go, running off into the distance like the superhero she was. Being something she didn’t have to be. It hurt Lena’s heart.

All she could do was pace. She paced back and forth, to and fro. Her mind wouldn’t leave Kara and what she was doing. 

But somewhere in between worrying about Kara and fantasizing about all the horrible things that could happen to her, Lena realized she had a job to do. That job was saving Kara.

So Lena looked to the sky and saw another pole with flickering lights. She ran toward it, disregarding the fact that the killer could find her. Better herself than Kara.

She dove down beside the generator and threw herself into fixing its broken parts. Lena almost felt as if fixing this big hunk of metal would somehow turn Kara’s situation around. With the connection of wires, Lena imagined Kara pulling the survivor off the hook, saving them from death. With the tightening of a screw, the version of Kara in her mind took a hit but found a burst of energy to escape. She imagined that a generator done would mean Kara would come back to her. Lena would heal her wounds, be strong for her. Everything would be okay.

She might have missed it over the sound of the working parts of the generator. She had been so focused, but not enough to completely disregard the soundscape around her.

“Lena.”

Her stomach dropped to the floor and her chest clenched.


	5. Heart to Heart

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is a prewritten chapter from literally 6 months ago. it's been so long I don't even remember what's going on in the story... yikes... anyway! enjoy!
> 
> (same trigger warnings from before - gore, blood, distressing themes, and lovely ladies)

“Kara,” Lena choked out. Her hands bumped into themselves, forcing the generator to blow and sputter a cough. The power stalled for a second and then picked up where it left off, pistons moving in and out on a mission.

She scanned Kara’s body. She needed to know Kara was okay, physically. There was nothing she could do (yet) to help fix the emotional wounds the experience had caused. For now, it would have to be enough.

Kara’s shoulders hung in a slouch. She was clutching her arm, a pool of blood spilling from beneath her slender fingertips. There was another survivor standing behind her looking more beat up than Kara did. The woman had bruises around her eyes, bloodstains all over her clothes, dirt-covered hands. She was in worse condition than either Kara or Lena had been.

Lena felt the tears building but forced herself to focus on the stranger, instead of scaring Kara with the depth of her emotion. She didn’t want Kara to run when she realized just how much Lena had attached herself. 

The feelings had developed quickly. Lena wasn’t one to let herself for bonds with people. She was terrified of other people’s ability to affect her emotions. That kind of power could completely destroy a person. It had happened to Lena before and she swore it wouldn’t happen again. But then there was the Entity, the pure fear she felt navigating the trial, and Kara. Each factor created a perfect storm of vulnerability. She needed Kara just as much as Kara needed her and the other survivors. They had to rely on each other. But Lena wasn’t ready to admit that it was more than that for her. Kara was more than just someone she needed to get along with, to tolerate, to use in order to survive. She would rather give her own life for Kara’s freedom. It was too much for Lena to process in all of this.

She bit her tongue and helped Kara heal the other survivor. She looked better after both of them were done, but there was only so much fixing they could manage. They all appeared frayed at the edges, one hit away from another wound. It was the constant pain the Entity wanted them to feel.

Kara was silent, but Lena could feel her gaze burning into her; she felt hot in the chill of the autumn air. The tears were still there, threatening to spill onto her cheeks. Her hands were starting to shake. She felt the urge to fidget, to keep her body from remaining still.

“Lena--” Kara’s head was down, watching her boot dig into the ground. 

She was cut short by Lena launching forward, tackling her in a surprise hug. At first, Kara went slack but soon warmed up to the embrace, hugging Lena with a similar intensity. The two held onto each other like it was the last time.

“I was so worried,” Lena said, holding back her sobs. The tears, however, began to run tracks through the dirt on her cheeks.

Kara did her best to comfort Lena, rubbing her back as she cried in Kara’s arms. She felt herself getting choked up at Lena’s emotion.

“Emotions are running high,” Kara tried to justify.

“No,” Lena said. She pulled back from the embrace, making eye contact with Kara. “It’s not just that.”

Kara’s mouth fell open a bit.

“What is it, then?”

Lena shook her head. She couldn’t explain her feelings to Kara yet, but she didn’t want to pretend either. She needed to do what was natural to her. She was too weak and life was too short.

The other survivor had been watching them and awkwardly cleared their throat.

“Right,” Kara said. She separated from Lena, taking a few steps backward. “The generator.”

Everyone rushed to the generator, working on either side to complete what Lena had started. And when the generator came to life, the other survivor gave them a nod, parting ways. Kara and Lena crouched close by in the line of trees near the edge of the arena.

“You’re still bleeding,” Lena said, staring at Kara’s wounded bicep.

“The Huntress swiped at me,” Kara explained. “I almost dodged it, but…”

Kara didn’t need to tell Lena why. She knew. It was to save the other survivor from the hook.

“Sometimes, you’re too altruistic for your own good.” Lena chuckled but it was laced with bitterness. Kara flinched at the sudden cold attitude from her.

“That’s not fair,” Kara said.

“None of this is!” Lena shouted. Her emotions were out of control. One second she was depressed, the next she was raging.

“I know. We have to keep positive.” Kara wasn’t convincing Lena. 

Lena just shook her head.

“How do you do it?”

“Do what?” Kara asked.

“Survive?”

Kara sighed at that.

“I remember the things that I love,” she responded.

“Will you tell me about them?” Lena pulled out her gauze, gesturing to Kara’s bicep. The woman obliged, scooting closer to Lena. They both decided to sit down, legs crossed. Lena positioned herself behind Kara as she worked. Kara’s eyes scanned the horizon, watching for the killer while Lena patched her up.

“My co-workers,” Kara began. “They were always so funny. Pulling pranks around the office, writing silly articles on their downtime, just for a laugh.” Lena nodded, beckoning her to continue.

“My sister.” Lena felt her heart clench, remembering her brother. He was still a sore spot after all the years that had passed. She hadn’t heard from him since their fight.

“She’s my best friend.” Emotion flashed in Kara’s eyes. “When I was adopted, she was the first one to accept me for who I was. She made me feel comfortable in a home that didn’t feel like my own.”

Lena knew exactly what Kara meant.

“In the real world, I’m missing,” Kara added.

Lena hadn’t thought about that. How much time had passed? Did someone realize she had disappeared without a trace? She was a high profile figure, anyhow. The police had probably been contacted by now, a search party in place looking for her.

“It’s her I worry about the most,” Kara said. “I just want to tell her I’m still alive.”

Lena had finished wrapping Kara’s wound, intent on listening to what she had to say. She lightly gripped Kara’s bicep, fingers tracing the lines of the gauze.

“What about you, Lena?”

“There’s no one,” Lena sighed.

“No one?” Kara frowned at the statement.

“I guess,” Lena conceded. “I mean, I run a company. My employees are probably concerned, but only because they won’t get paid.” 

Kara shifted to face Lena fully, gazing into her eyes. She placed a hand on her shoulder and squeezed.

“You matter, Lena.”

Lena wanted to argue, but Kara was unwavering. 

Logically, she knew she mattered in the grand scheme of things. Every human being has a part to play, and each part was valuable to the system of nature. She ran a major company, making great strides to improve humanity. But she wasn’t special. There were hundreds of talented, intelligent people in the world. If not her, someone else would take her place and fill the role. Work was everything to her. She rarely took vacations for herself. Even if she could, she wouldn’t know where to go or what to do.

She didn’t have friends. In her line of business, friends were just enemies in disguise. There was no one she could trust outside of a contract. Kara had been the first person who broke the narrative of her life. Kara had no obligation to stick by her. Kara could have let her die the moment she witnessed Lena being an idiot and almost getting killed. But she didn’t. She chose to save her. And that was more valuable than a contract or business deal.

Kara could sense the hesitation in Lena’s behavior. It was clearly an uncomfortable topic.

“Oh! I almost forgot,” Kara exclaimed. She reached around to her back pocket, shuffling around for a moment. How deep was that thing? 

She seemed to find what she was looking for, though. She pulled out a long, metal tube with a bulb on the end

“I found a flashlight!”

Lena eyed Kara and the contraption in her hand with amusement. She was definitely proud of herself.

“What’s the use,” Lena said. “It can’t help us.”

“Watch,” Kara said. She flipped the switch on, shining it in Lena’s face. She was momentarily blinded.

“Oh wow!” Lena flailed her hands in front of her face, waving the light away.

“Sorry!” Kara said sheepishly. “Just wanted to show how it worked. We can stun this killer with this!”

“What a lucky find.” Lena smiled at Kara. Kara returned the smile and Lena felt a little part of her soul die and go to heaven.

“Could come in handy.” Kara shrugged. Lena mirrored the action.

“I’ve been thinking,” Kara said.

“About?”

“What we were talking about earlier.” Kara seemed to sober up from their teasing. Lena listened intently, tucking away the part of her that wanted to keep making Kara laugh.

“Oh?” Lena said.

“About the things I love.” Kara fiddled with a strand of her hair. It was a bit knotted, split at the ends. Lena remained quiet, wanting her to finish the thought.

“I love the sun, back on Earth. It’s always dark here.”

“Can’t say I feel the same,” Lena chuckled slightly. Kara scrunched up her face.

“I know It’s embarrassing--”

“Not at all--” Lena interrupted.

“--But I used to sunbathe a lot. Soaking in the warmth and all that.” 

Lena hummed.

“You think it’s stupid, huh?” Kara ducked her head.

“No!” Lena blurted out, a little too quickly. “I don’t like the heat, but the sunset is lovely from my view at work.”

“I much prefer the sunrise,” Kara said. She stared at Lena for a beat, then averted her gaze. She exhaled heavily.

“I miss it so much.” She said it so soft and full of vulnerability that Lena wanted to cry. Again.

“I promise you’ll see it again.”

“I thought we talked about this,” Kara said.

“We did,” Lena retorted. “But this is one promise I know I can keep.” Kara just rolled her eyes with a huff, but Lena knew she was touched by the sentiment.

“Alright, enough of this. We have at least two more generators to fix!”


End file.
